Lo que pasó, es que tuvimos la Gira Misional** with Elder Nash. He is very very powerful, and very direct.
SO.
What was I up to during all of this. Monday through Thursday I was traveling all around the mission setting everything up for the conferences that Elder Nash was going to do. I felt a little like Paul Revere, except people were very happy about the procession that I was announcing. We got the stake centers ready, everybody sat and studying, took care of food, made sure that everybody was doing what they were supposed to, and managing everything from behind the scenes. It was a party. Haha. Every day I was somewhere else.
Tuesday, for example. I had the opportunity to go back to Universidad, and visit some of the people over there. ... It was very strange to come back. The first time that I came to Universidad from San Mateo Michoacán, I was blown away by how big and lavishly built it seemed. When I came back I was struck by how small it seemed, and how little the people there had. It was similar and foreign at the same time. I started my mission in the absolute poorest part of the misison. Now I am currently in the richest part. I visited the same place, where I had spent 5 months of my mission, but what caught my attention is the way that I perceived it changed completely based on where I was coming from.
And then it struck me that the same thing rings true with the Plan of Salvation. It is said many times that really truly knowing our identity is of the utmost importance. Knowing where we come from determines what we do and see in this moment. It opens our eyes to the reality of the situation. Knowing that we started our existence thousands of years before this life, and that we did so thanks to our loving Celestial Father, helps us to see life through the lens that God sees it. Any other belief changes drastically how we perceive life. Where we come determines where we are going, and how we are getting there.
And, interestingly enough, the Plan of Salvation was one of the themes that Elder Nash focused on in this Gira. He focused in on the covenants part of this plan: what they mean to us and how we can help others to make them. He described it with by comparing them to a car. The car needs an engine to go anywhere, and the engine needs a car body to serve any purpose. And the same relationship exists between covenants, and ordinances. One gives life to the other. Without a covenant, an ordinance has no value, and visa versa.
Also, while in Toluca, I was able to meet some of the old members and converts that I have out there. Remember me talking about la familia Lugo Lopez? Hermana Hilda, Maria de Jesus, y Alondra? We got to visit them. They are doing wonderfully! It was really refreshing to see them. We surprised them at the door, and were consequently deafened for the next few hours... :) Haha. it was lovely. We also tried to visit Hermana Italia, who I baptized in December, but she wasn't home... Just her husband. He still isn't a member, but is working his way that direction. :) We also tried to visit some of the other investigators that I had that got baptized a little after Ileft (Like Xochitl and her daughter Berenice). They are doing great!! I miss these people so much. I didn't realize how much of my heart I had left in Toluca until I had come back to visit. It was very hard to say goodbye again.
I think that about wraps it up for now. I gotta dash, because there is still a BOATLOAD to do! I have never been so busy! O.o I love you all so much.
Church is true!
Love,
Elder Kennington
**Translation: According to the subject of this post, I want to assure you I am alive. Do not worry. Please forgive the lateness of this coming. What happened is that we had the missionary tour...
Preguntas Bien Rapidito
Q: What is your ward like?
A: Our ward is AWESOME! :D I love them so much! The members here are very strong and always willing to bring friends and family members for us to teach. One actually brought a friend from my old area (Chamapa) this last Sunday, which is about an hour and fifteen minutes away. They are powerhouses! And from all over the place too. The bishop, for example, is from Argentina.
Q: Describe your new daily schedule. Did I understand right that you go to the office in the evening as well?
A: Ok. So we get up and get everything ready to go, and start working in the offices at 9:00. We work there usually until about 5:00 and then we have the opportunity to go preach and work in our tiny little area (se llama Palmas). We work until about 9:30 in the evening, and then come back to the offices and wrap up everything we were working on. We usually leave the offices at 12:30-1:00 in the morning to go home (about five minutes away) and crash. At 6:25 we restart the day. :) Usually we don't have time for a P Day, so we try and find time to write over the course of the week.
Q: Are there any couple missionaries in your mission? What do they do?
A: Yep! There are four companionships. These companionships work in the offices, with the cedulas, family history, center of autosufficiency, and a little with the visas. They are wonderful! There is one companionship that work here in the same offices as my companion and I (Los Toblers).
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| And another picture of that little scorpion that we found, with the wanna-be-predator deciding that she is too good for her prey and regally sauntering away. :) |
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| Love Elder Goodrich to bits. He is so much fun to be around! |
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| One of my investigator families back in Chamapa really really misses me... They made these seven bracelets and sent them to me. It looks like they will be getting baptized the 7th of June. :):) |
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| Mission tour with Elder Nash of the Seventy. He and his wife are on the front row on the left side. President and Sister Whitehead are the couple on the right in front. Elder Kennington is on the back row, fourth from the right, with his companion Elder Goodrich next to him to the left. |
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